President Donald Trump’s efforts to interfere in the midterms are generating alarm, but an elections expert says the administration’s mounting setbacks deserve more attention. “This is all a lot of noise, and it’s failing,” David Becker, a former Justice Department attorney who leads the Center for Election Innovation and Research, told Mother Jones .
Becker pointed to court decisions blocking administration initiatives, including its attempt to force California officials to set aside thousands of ballots from alleged noncitizens. “They are zero for 27 in their lawsuits trying to seize sensitive voter data, and nine of those courts have Trump-appointed judges!” he said.
While Becker warned against the normalization of federal interference in elections, he described the Trump administration’s efforts as “complete failures.” The former DOJ voting rights attorney also argued Thursday that fear of immigration agents appearing at polling places could itself scare people into staying home —…